talking tourism SPRING 2022
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ISSUE 6
NATURE LOVER • Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Carolyn Cadman • Sustainability • Food & Drink trends • SW Tourism Awards
SAVE LIVES BY BECOMING A
TOURISM
Photo credit: Mike Hogan; ©Robert Maynard Photography/ Discovery Communications
BUSINESS
SUPPORTER
I
CORNWALL Registered Charity 1133295
In 2020, 81
adults and 16 children took a trip they
didn’t plan to when they visited Cornwall.
On average, a fifth of patients helped by Cornwall Air Ambulance are visitors to the county, yet only 5% of donations to the charity come from the tourism sector. With your help we can change this. The charity needs the support of local tourism businesses to fund these vital missions and save lives. If you work in the tourism sector, get in touch today to find out what you can do and how a partnership with Cornwall Air Ambulance can benefit your business. cornwallairambulancetrust.org/tourism-business-supporter 01637 889926 fundraising@cornwallairambulancetrust.org
Saving lives is a team effort, are you in? As a charity, the crew can’t continue to save lives without the support of our Tourism Business Partners. Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY | Registered charity 1133295
CONTENTS & CONTACTS
What’s inside this issue... EDITOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk
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PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk Tel: 01209 718688
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VISIT CORNWALL Malcolm Bell mal@visitcornwall.com Tel: 01872 276529
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VISIT DEVON Sally Everton sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk Tel: 07976 711785
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DESIGN design@businesscornwall.co.uk PRINT Printed in Cornwall by St Austell Printing Company TALKING TOURISM is published 4 times a year by: Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. Stringent efforts have been made by Tonick Business Publishing to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur.
Introduction from Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell
TOURISM NEWS
Tourism Fortnight
A BUMPER SUMMER?
Visit Devon’s Sally Everton looks ahead to the holiday season
ROAD TO RECOVERY?
PKF Francis Clark partner, Tom Roach, looks at challenges and opportunities
INTERVIEW
Cornwall Wildlife Trust chief executive Carolyn Cadman
SUSTAINABILITY
It is becoming increasingly important to have an eco-strategy in place
MEET DEVON
Free venue finding service
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FOOD & DRINK
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DIGITAL MARKETING
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Registered under the Data Protection Act. All rights reserved.
WELCOME
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Bishop Fleming on how sustainability is driving market trends
Why Search Engine Optimisation still reigns supreme
SOUTH WEST TOURISM AWARDS
Awards return, up close and personal!
GUESTNET
New DIY marketing suite
USING YOUR INFLUENCE
Importance of being compliant with consumer protection law when using influencers
JUST AN OPINION
Hotel marketing trends from Clockwork’s Clare Bushby
Tonick Business Publishing can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Tonick Business Publishing accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.
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TALKING TOURISM
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WELCOME
Welcome from Malcolm Bell It’s not over till it’s over Over two years after those eventful weeks in March 2020, leading up to the first lockdown, followed by coping with furloughs, grants, the rule of six, the pingdemic, tiers, other lockdowns and too many demanding customers, we are now operating, but having to live and cope with Covid-19 and now facing new challenges. We now have to cope with ongoing staffing challenges, increased wage costs, VAT back to 20%, higher energy costs and inflation in almost every input from food to building and maintenance costs. Then we have to understand our customers, such as the many regular ones who come every two to five years. They like Cornwall but having been denied the opportunity for overseas travel, just can’t wait to jump on a plane and fly to distant destinations. Plus, the whole issue of the cost-of-living squeeze made worse by constant media coverage which is undermining consumer confidence as they are fearing ever increasing pressures on their incomes. So, it sounds like a perfect storm and as though I am forecasting a terrible year, but we must keep faith in the power of the Cornish brand and the fact that holidays are one of the last things that people want to give up. But this year will be demanding in terms of marketing and sales as we will need to reassure customers and for some, persuade them to holiday here or take that break. But with the power of digital, email, newsletters and social media we have the tools
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to convert the wavering to enjoy themselves in our wonderful Cornwall. Here at Visit Cornwall, we are in the final stages of a total redevelopment of the visitcornwall.com website to help our members to gain business not only in the popular weeks but particularly in the months when our members find it hard to run at full capacity and the online travel agents are promoting winter overseas sun, skiing, and European city breaks. We are also in the final phase of a strategic review of tourism and the priorities for the future. This includes the introduction of a compulsory registration scheme to ensure that all providers have to comply with all the regulations so that there is a level playing field between existing providers and new providers using online platforms such as AirBnB. Other priorities include the need for a skills academy for tourism and hospitality, support for a 5-year marketing plan to boost autumn, winter, and spring business, which will not only benefit the sector, but also boost the high streets and food/drink producers in Cornwall. Finally, but very importantly, is a major drive to deliver a step change in sustainable and regenerative tourism in the county so that we stay a popular premium, but responsible destination. These changes will require investment, funding, and support, but the recent prospectus for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and its associated £132 million over the next three years, there is a real opportunity to ensure the sector becomes more competitive and productive, not only for businesses but for the wider benefit of Cornwall. Malcolm Bell
SPRING 2022
TOURISM NEWS
INTERNATIONAL PUSH
Travel trade experts from around the world visited a selection of the UK’s top tourism destinations in March in a major push by VisitBritain to boost international visitor numbers. Those from the USA headed to Cornwall for a three-day educational trip, taking in a selection of the best that we have to offer. The publicity around the G7 in St Ives last year is thought
GET ON ’YER BIKE!
A luxury Cornish hotel has teamed up with an electric bike rental which enables guests to explore the beauty of the county on two wheels. The Headland has joined forces with Penzance-based Ebike Cornwall to give visitors a different and eco-friendly way of seeing what Cornwall has to offer.
to have been pivotal in the choice of destination, which was driven by the operators themselves. The event was organised by VisitBritain, in conjunction with destination management companies such as Cornwall DMC and reinforced VisitBritain’s latest £10m marketing campaign, ‘Welcome to Another Side of Britain’.
Veryan Palmer, director of the five-star hotel in Newquay, said: “We’re thrilled to take receipt of the e-bikes because our beautiful county is also a very hilly one, so it will enable guests to cover many more miles when they are out and about exploring the stunning scenery. “The bikes also provide fantastic wellbeing opportunities for our staff and they are an important element of our agenda for sustainability and climate protection.” Ebike Cornwall will supply, maintain and insure the bikes for use by hotel staff and guests over the age of 14. It provides a full package of helmets, locks, panniers and pre-planned routes and itineraries from the hotel.
TOURISM FORTNIGHT SUCCESS
Businesses operating in the tourism and hospitality industry in Cornwall were provided with expert advice and information covering a range of key opportunities and threats to the sector during this year’s Visit Cornwall’s Tourism Fortnight. A total of 171 businesses took part in the four free to attend events that covered subjects including business operations, digital marketing, future markets, growth opportunities and sustainable and responsible tourism. Humphry Walwyn from Visit England presented the latest data that pointed to another busy year with UK tourists again looking to the south west with the region being overwhelmingly the most desirable destination. Cornwall still holds a special place in the hearts of those from the Midlands, London and the south east, with those
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areas providing a large proportion of the visitors enjoy breaks in the far south west. Visit Britain’s Devki Patel highlighted that the international visitor market to the UK was finally remerging in force after Coronavirus curtail overseas travel. Flight bookings have increased and remained strong even after the conflict in Ukraine began. However, forecasts show that it might take until 2025 for numbers to return to pre-covid levels. Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said: “The tourism and hospitality sector in Cornwall has had two years of highs and lows and the year ahead is likely to be much the same. Thanks to funding from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Hub, we were pleased to be stage these events to help businesses to take advantage of the opportunities and negotiate the challenges ahead.”
SPRING 2022
TOURISM NEWS
Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust has celebrated 35 years since the first emergency helicopter service began in Cornwall – and the UK. In 1987, Cornwall was the first county in the UK to launch an air ambulance helicopter, a vital service that has proven time and time again its importance in such a rural destination. Now, 35 years on, the crew are tasked to around 1,000 emergency missions every year, with more than 31,000 under their belts since the service was first launched. In 2021 alone, critical care paramedics were called to 1,092 patients in need, attending everything from medical emergencies to trauma-related incidents across the county and beyond.
It also comes after CAAT welcomed its new AW169 helicopter in 2020, following a huge public campaign which saw almost £3 million raised for the appeal, extending the hours the helicopter could fly.
Now, as the service enters its 35th year, the charity been busy planning for the future, ensuring the service continues to provide and serve the people of Cornwall at their greatest times of need.
CEO Tim Bunting said: “There is no doubt that this lifesaving service is vitally needed in this county. But what’s more amazing is that it’s completely funded by the generosity of the people of Cornwall and beyond.
Part of this has included welcoming two brand new rapid response vehicles to the roster, with more plans in motion to extend the current airbase.
One of Cornwall’s leading holiday parks has completed a major refurbishment of its on-site restaurant and bar. The Seahorse at Pentewan Sands, near Mevagissey, underwent extensive renovations after the park closed at the end of October 2021, and finally reopened in April, to showcase its new-look interior as the holiday season gets underway.
AIR AMBULANCE MILESTONE
“Without your support, our crew could not do what they do – help to save lives and keep more families together in Cornwall.”
food and drink suppliers now that The Seahorse is open again.” Contactors who helped deliver the renovation included Estuary Building & Plumbing Ltd, Nigel Dowrick Ltd and ASK Shopfitting Design.
RESTAURANT RE-FIT
Located acrossfrom the beach with stunning sea views across Mevagissey Bay, The Main Deck Restaurant and Bar has been given a complete makeover, reconfiguring the restaurant layout with new carpeted areas, partitions and booths. There is also a new pizza station. Tim Moorhouse, head of hospitality at Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, said: “Supporting local businesses and using locally grown produce whenever possible is hugely important to us, and we’re delighted to have worked with local contractors on this renovation, and to be championing a host of local
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VISIT DEVON
Beautiful opportunities! As we gallop towards what we hope will be a bumper season for 2022 across the south west, Visit Devon director Sally Everton forecasts it will be much more of a ‘normal’ year.
We are mindful that the international markets are opening up, and that competition for Mediterranean climates might appear more appealing but think there is still some wariness amongst some travellers about journeying overseas. Alongside Cornwall, Devon is still listed as the top destination to visit in England and we are working hard with our marketing campaigns to encourage visitors back to Devon to explore the wonder and diversity that Devon has. As mentioned in the last edition of Talking Tourism, recruitment Plan a great and staff shortages have been a major issue and still break away whilst are. Without assistance from Government to enable EU staff remaining clean and back in, this shortage of staff green! is likely to continue. There are not the applicants coming through to fill the vacancies, and seasonal workers that are normally recruited for the high season are struggling to find anywhere to live due to the housing shortage. Eco Friendly Devon A key strategy for us moving forward is to strive towards the carbon neutral target and thus having a dedicated area on our website to actively promote sustainability, for example, electric car
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charging points and promoting our ecofriendly members to enable our visitors to plan a great break away whilst remaining clean and green! From only using local, sustainable produce in their menus, to cutting down on their single use plastics, to powering their accommodation with solar or wind power, there are a whole range of ways to cut down on your carbon footprint and it is something that more and more businesses in Devon are offering. It isn’t just cafes with bamboo or paper straws or hotels with solar panels on the walls, many of Devon’s top attractions are working towards creating a more sustainable future for the region, including the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth which not only introduces visitors to a whole host of marine life, but also works as a conservation charity dedicated to helping us all understand more about the ocean. Other attractions, such as the region’s open farms or places like Pennywell Farm are also great places to visit for a green day out – these farms will often serve food grown on their own land and also feature education facilities to help the younger generations learn more about how they can keep natural open spaces healthy.
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VISIT DEVON
Countryside and Coast With two national parks, a wonderful coastline and several areas of outstanding natural beauty and sites of scientific interest, it is important that we work together to help preserve and protect this naturally beautiful county. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that so many people are turning eco-tourism, an idea to allow travellers to enjoy natural environments while also supporting conservation efforts. Luckily, Devon is happily embracing this new concept and offering a whole host of eco-friendly places to stay, visit and eat all over the county. Other priority themes other than Zero Carbon are: • Accessible and Inclusive - to be the most accessible destination in the UK. • Improving Productivity - addressing seasonality; value per visitor; data and research and collaboration. • Building Resilience - strengthen business networks; support businesses and protect consumers through a compulsory registration scheme, build community wealth and strengthen the supply chain. • Skills and Employment - Kick start recovery by getting people back into employment; support growth businesses; improve digital skills and provide career paths
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• Marketing and Communications promote the region to new and growth markets as a place for business events. • Improve Connectivity - encourage and support digital and transport infrastructure improvements. Devon and the wider south west has traditionally been a leader in the development of sustainable tourism with its Sustainability South West programme in 2016 and the Discover Devon Naturally Project in 2006. Historically, it has had a relatively high number of businesses belonging to the Green Tourism Business Scheme but this has recently reduced, which is thought to be due to failings in the scheme rather than lack of interest in sustainability. Understanding this further will be key to how we engage our businesses again. Visit Devon will be looking at working closely with our industry partners such as UKinbound, Visit England and Visit Britain to ensure we have a strong presence in the global marketplace, so as the pentup demand from overseas markets is recognised and we can be a welcoming destination with our open space, our beautiful coastal and stunning countryside and exceptional food and drink offering produced within the county.
TALKING TOURISM
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LOOKING AHEAD
OUR FAMILY SS ON STRONG ATIONS
Road to recovery?
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Tom Roach is a partner in the Truro office of PKF Francis Clark with expertise in the tourism and leisure industries. Wealth Preservation for Family
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For the hotel industry, 2022 was the first Easter many leisure facilities were able to open in three years following truncated openings and unscheduled closure periods having put huge pressure on businesses and their staffing requirements during the pandemic.
Succession And Options
Remunerating Family
Risks to the Business
The tourism industry continues to face many opportunities and challenges in 2022 and at PKF Francis Clark we undertake benchmarking for bed nights and room nights to provide us with insight on the industry. Comparable data shows that occupancy was up over the summer period in both 2020 and 2021 and from July 2021 to December 2021, occupancy versus 2019 was up by 9.7%. From August 2020 to October 2020, occupancy was up by 7.7% on the same period in the previous year. The significant support provided to the sector to overcome some of the challenges it faced is being tapered out and by the start of the main 2023 season will be completely removed. VAT reductions have now ceased, and business is returning to normal, albeit with potentially higher staff sickness and difficulties recruiting generally. Helpfully, 50% rates relief has been extended to April 2023, which for many tourism businesses should equate to as much as 2.5% of turnover. EMPLOYMENT Staffing has become a common discussion point in the sector and this is a
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conversation which looks set to continue into the main 2022 season. With staff shortages expected to remain and many businesses focusing on recruitment, what should you be aware of? • The hotel industry employs a considerable number of workers from the EU and Brexit has had a significant impact on the industry. Obtaining the appropriate documentation to employ overseas staff, housing and working hours needs careful consideration • The interaction between limitations on rent charges for living wage purposes and benefit in kind rules can be difficult to navigate • Staff incentive plans have become common, although the mainstream tax incentive schemes are not available in the accommodation sector We are often asked for advice on accommodation and benefits in kind and recently our conversations have been focused on the essential provision of accommodation for staff. INFLATION RISES Inflation has arrived and is set to continue into 2022/3. When open last year, many accommodation providers benefited from a limitation on supply which drove prices. However, with energy costs increasing, wages continuing to rise and the impact this has on food and services, it is likely a lag in cost increases compared with tariff rises will catch up later into 2022
SPRING 2022
LOOKING AHEAD
and potentially overtake the previous tariff increases. STAYCATIONS TO CONTINUE With travel restrictions in 2021, the south west became one of the most popular holiday destinations, with holiday makers choosing to visit rather than travel abroad. To some extent this is expected to continue, especially whilst news about travelling abroad remains negative. PLANNING THE FUTURE Investment plans, opportunities to purchase, sell or develop are clouded by poor returns on other investments and difficulty in obtaining a normalised trading position and therefore an expected return on investment. Input costs are adding to this difficulty. Looking at opportunities to reorganise ownership and optimising family business structures are likely to become more prevalent. WHAT ELSE TO BE AWARE OF IN 2022? The pandemic had a substantial impact on the way businesses embraced technology, with it set to grow in 2022. Technology was seen as a way of improving overall customer experience as well as making processes easier when businesses are short staffed, such as through virtual experiences and contactless check-ins. With many businesses now implementing hybrid working, an
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increase in B-leisure trips (extending business trips for leisure), health and well-being trips and long weekends away are set to increase. Companies will likely look to get staff together probably for short breaks from previous traditional office environments. Not only these, but many are looking for personalisation to enhance their travel experience. This could be anything from simply welcoming them by name when they arrive, tailored packages that could enhance their experiences or using technology to capture data to record consumer preferences, birthdays or anniversaries. Sustainability continues to be prevalent in the leisure and tourism sector and as well as a consumer’s desire for businesses to use local produce, they will be paying more attention to what else a business does. For example, how do they get rid of waste and how do they communicate?
The tourism industry continues to face many opportunities and challenges in 2022
HOW CAN WE HELP? The leisure and tourism sector will continue to face many challenges in 2022 but there are still opportunities for businesses to innovate and grow. Whatever the size of your business, whether it’s part of a group or independent and family run, we have a team of specialist accountants in the sector who can help you.
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CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST
What’s the background of the trust? How did it all start? Cornwall Wildlife Trust was established in 1962 which means that we have been raising funds and taking action to protect Cornwall’s wildlife and wild places for 60 years! With the invaluable support of our members, volunteers, corporate supporters and a wide range of partners we manage 59 nature reserves, creating safe havens in which wildlife can survive and thrive. Our mission is to reverse the decline of nature in Cornwall.
Carolyn Cadman We meet Cornwall Wildlife Trust chief executive Carolyn Cadman, who explains the importance of nature’s relationship with the tourism sector.
We are stepping up our drive to inspire people in Cornwall – residents and visitors, young and old, one and all - to love and care for the natural environment. We also work with marine businesses, including fishermen and recreational tourism providers, advising them on how to reduce their impact on wildlife. Thirty years ago we established a consultancy business – Cornwall Environmental Consultants – which offers ecology and landscape services to tourist providers, developers, businesses and home owners in Cornwall and beyond. The consultancy helps to deliver our mission to reverse the decline in wildlife and has raised over £1 million to support the work of the charity. How is the wildlife scene in Cornwall, any notable positive trends? And notable challenges? Last year Cornwall Wildlife Trust published the Cornwall State of Nature 2020 report with Cornwall Council and the University of Exeter. The headline message, sadly, is that wildlife is in decline. Twelve per cent of what are known as “species of principal importance” are threatened with local extinction, and nearly half of land-based mammals and three-fifths of butterflies found in fewer places. Cornwall is experiencing an ecological and climate emergency but there is good news, Cornwall Wildlife Trust has the knowledge, experience, hands-on ability, grass roots connections and partner relationships to work to create Cornwall where nature can thrive once more. I see CWT sponsors Cornwall Tourism Awards - how important is the relationship between CWT and Tourism? The beauty of Cornwall’s coasts and
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CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST
countryside helps to market and sell the Duchy as a tourist destination, but that beauty can also mask both the social and environmental deprivation that it is present here.
Willow Tit © AdamJones
We believe it is vitally important to reward and recognise the exemplary tourism businesses who are working hard to protect and promote Cornwall’s wildlife and wild places as an integral part of their offer to visitors. Those businesses are demonstrating to others and to their customers ways in which taking action for the planet and for local people is also profitable, and this should be celebrated. What impact does tourism have on Cornwall’s natural environment and its wildlife? Are there challenges with this? Common dolphins are just one of the many species supported by Cornwall’s iconic coastline. Along with nesting seabirds, internationally rare Atlantic grey seals and basking sharks, Cornwall’s dolphins are increasingly suffering due to the increase of recreational and commercial users. Wildlife disturbance by sea users, whether a boat, jet ski, kayak or even a SUP, has become one of the greatest threats to our marine and coastal wildlife and Cornwall Wildlife Trust are keen to work with everyone to change behaviour and reduce disturbance. Research published by the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group shows disturbance reports increase from February to August every year, with spikes in both July and August. This coincides with the peak visitor season in Cornwall, with more and more people wanting to enjoy Cornwall’s stunning coastline during the spring and summer months. Do you think Cornwall’s wildlife and environment is a key component in the popularity of Cornwall as a tourist destination? We know from Visit Cornwall’s research that one of the key reasons visitors come to Cornwall is because of our beautiful coasts and countryside and for a breath of fresh air. As said earlier though, the beauty can mask the face that wildlife is in decline
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and it can be hard to get the message across to our visitors, and indeed to people who live in Cornwall, that nature needs our help. Now a year on, how is the G7 legacy project for nature recovery going? The G7 Nature Recovery Legacy Project has delivered some amazing outcomes and benefits in its first year. The project is a collection of activities happening in the former industrial China Clay area of mid Cornwall and is delivering nature, climate and people benefits.
Taking action for the planet and for local people is also profitable
An army of volunteers have joined newly recruited apprentices and practical task and community organising teams employed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Natural England to plant trees, clear scrubland and remove invasive species across a wide area of land including nature reserves, farmland and former industrial areas.
Carolyn Cadman photos (including cover) © Suzanne Johnson
As well as keeping those volunteers active and happy, the nature recovery work benefits endangered Marsh Fritillary Butterflies, Dormice and Willow Tit. We’ve also been able to improve access for more people with limited mobilty to a number of nature sites, including Helman Tor, Goss Moor and a disabled walkway at the Cornwall Beaver Project. The volunteers are transported to the nature recovery sites using an electric minibus, which is also reducing the carbon footprint of the habitat restoration.
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SUSTAINABILITY
The green agenda Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important topic on the agenda for the tourism and hospitality sector. Two local operators share their tips and advice Being sustainable not only reduces your impact on the environment, but helps you to improve your customer experience, support your local economy and stand out from your competitors. From only using local, sustainable produce in their menus, to cutting down on their single use plastics, to powering their accommodation with solar or wind power, harvesting rainwater or installing electric car charging points, there are plenty of ways we can all play a part in reducing our carbon footprint on the journey to the UK’s Net Zero strategy. Emma Fashokun is guest experience & CSR manager at luxury lettings specialist, Cornish Gems.
Everything we do has an impact and want to tread as lightly as we can
“Reducing our carbon footprint is a topline goal for Cornish Gems this year,” she says. “We’ve set some ambitious targets, which we’re proud to be on the way to achieving – but we’re aiming high with an ambition to be carbon neutral in the future. We’re lucky to have a brilliant team, who’re all working hard to support our sustainability journey – lots of small steps, make great strides!” Emma says the company has already introduced a wave of positive change from reducing energy consumption, minimising waste, boosting social and community involvement, to winning a Green Tourism Award.
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“Since June 2021 we’ve planted 460 trees in communities all over the word, which has offset nearly 182 tonnes of CO2 emissions,” she says, “and we estimate this is equivalent to offsetting the carbon footprint of 3,575 car journeys from across the UK to Cornwall. “We’ve done this by planting a tree in honour of each of our owners for their ongoing support, gave our team the opportunity to ‘purchase’ a tree via our internal reward scheme and we also gift trees for employee’s birthdays too.” Emma says the sustainability process is ongoing, with Gems continually evaluating every aspect of its business to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and decrease single use plastic consumption. “We’re also working on our biggest eco-project to date, a brand new in-house Green Grading property system – which going forward will help our owners and guests make more eco-conscious decisions to support responsible tourism.” Steve and Sarah Moss run Little Gwendreath Holiday Cottages on the Lizard Peninsula, which was recently commended at the South West Tourism Awards in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable category. “The low carbon agenda sits at the heart of our business,” says Sarah. “We are very conscious that everything we do has an impact and want to tread as lightly as we can; we are passionate about minimising our footprint. “We identified early on that energy use was the main chunk of our carbon footprint and it was therefore our initial focus. We installed solar panels in 2016, generating our own energy from Solar PV and Solar iboost for water heating. By replacing older appliances with energy efficient models, use of LED lighting and timers for external lighting we have reduced the amount of energy used. Any energy we do not generate ourselves is now sourced as 100% renewable energy. We have also installed electric vehicle charging points. “The climate and ecological emergencies mean that it is more urgent than ever to protect and restore our precious ecosystems. Operating
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SUSTAINABILITY
sustainably is also beneficial for the bottom-line as it drives cost-savings and future proofs the business, for us this is an added bonus.” Little Gwendreath Holiday Cottages has reviewed every aspect of its business from recycling and compost, through to which suppliers it works with. Sarah says: “With regards to waste, we encourage our guests to recycle and compost whilst they are on holiday the same way they would at home. To make it as simple as possible we use one bag for mixed recycling and sort the waste ourselves. Our cottages are free from single use plastic items and we provide refillable soaps and cleaning products.
“We reviewed our suppliers ensuring we buy from businesses with a similar ethos. We focused on ethics, circularity and phosphate-free cleaning products. An information sheet is in the cottages and on our website so that our guests know where they can source the products from if they wish to do so. “Our guests can use items such as buckets, spades, and body boards free of charge from our Borrow Box.”
TEN TOP TIPS Little Gwendreath Holiday Cottages owner, Steve Moss, has this advice to businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint. 1. Start measuring the energy and water you use, set a calendar reminder and take monthly meter readings - you need to know where you are today to know the impact of any changes 2. Once your baseline is established set targets for where you want to get to and by when - useful resources can be found via the Glasgow Declaration and the parallel Tourism Declares initiative 3. Review your supply chain against your sustainability requirements - taking energy suppliers as an example, most energy contracts are now at the price cap, so as there is less price competition between suppliers why not switch to one which uses 100% renewable sources? 4. Train staff in nature engagement - staff have the ability to enhance the guest experience through their interactions with guests, they can encourage support of local businesses and recommend local nature-based activities 5. Volunteer some of your spare time to local community groups e.g. beach cleans, litter picks, tree planting etc 6. Eliminate single use plastic 7. Go paperless 8. Introduce recycling and food composting facilities 9. When appliances reach the end of their useful life replace with energy efficient models 10. Install low energy LED lighting.
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MEET DEVON
SUMMARY OF WHO WE ARE Free Venue Finding Service A completely free service providing a choice of suitable venues and itineraries to fit the brief to make the decision making that little bit easier. Corporate and incentives From golfing groups to sailing groups, from coasteering to hawking on horseback, from sloe gin making to a Michelin star feast. Team Build Ideas From high wires to treasure hunts, from escape rooms to paddle boarding, duck herding to rock climbing, never a shortage of ideas for a team build in Devon.
Making an event of it Meet Devon is a free venue finding service for all business visits and events for Devon and the south west. It is the first point of contact for anyone considering the region for a meeting, conference, incentive group, corporate golf event, team build or a group celebration. As we spring into May, we are seeing the sector coming back to life with a marked increase in enquiries which shows that recovery in the meetings and incentive market is improving with many businesses wanting a return to face-to-face meetings. The past two years have been particularly challenging for this sector and the omicron virus again slowed the enquires down at the back end of 2021. That now seems to be waning and we are seeing strong shoots for rebuilding this lucrative sector. Meet Devon, working alongside Meet England, was recently proud to partner and host a Micebook influencer to Devon showcasing the exceptional
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From quirky venues, coastal venues, secret venues, specialist groups, film locations and much more, Devon has it all and can accommodate most briefs however diverse and unusual. Fresh Air for Fresh Thinking is the Meet Devon motto and welcome all enquiries. https://www.meetdevon.org/ For further details Sally Everton, Meet Devon Limited sally@meetdevon.org Nicky Harding, Meet Devon Limited nicky@meetdevon.org
facilities that we have for business events. With a diverse choice of incentive experiences including sloe gin making, off roading, falconry, duck herding, foraging, paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, vineyard tours with wine tasting, and many other team-build activities including high wires, treasure hunts, rock climbing, there is never a shortage of choice! Reaching over 20,000 meeting planners, this really puts Devon on the map as a world class destination for business events. Meet Devon is attending trade events with face-to-face appointments further raising awareness of the venues across the country and how easy it is to get to us both domestically and internationally.
SPRING 2022
FLAMINGO MARKETING Based in Newquay, Flamingo is a consultancy specialising in marketing and PR support for visitor attractions and tourism clients. Since launching 13 years ago, the company has grown to a team of ten, working with large and small businesses across the UK. The diverse client list includes major historic attractions such as Blenheim House and Leeds Castle; Halloween & Christmas Light Trails for Sony Music; theme parks Lightwater Valley and Cornish favourite Flambards; and from the hospitality sector, The Headland.
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PERIODICALS MAGAZINES EVENT GUIDES COPYWRITING PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTING PUBLISHING DISTRIBUTION & MORE...
tonickbusinesspublishing.co.uk | 01209 718688 Publisher of: Business Cornwall, Talking Tourism & Find The Balance magazines
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BUSINESS PUBLISHING
FOOD & DRINK
Food & Drink: Sustainability driving M&A trends Leading south west accountancy firm, Bishop Fleming has a dedicated Food and Drink team with a wealth of experience and expertise. The firm provides insight to over 300 ambitious Food and Drink businesses, with a combine client base turnover of £700 million. Senior manager, Phil Redgate, has significant experience with advising on acquisitions and business sales in the food and drink sector. With a profile of clients across the West Midlands and south west - including Devon and Cornwall; Phil is an expert in corporate finance and works closely with his clients to gain a deep understanding of their visions and goals. Phil explains how sustainability is driving merger and acquisition trends in the food and drink industry…
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MERGER AND ACQUISITION TRENDS Most investment committees have ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance Factors) high on the agenda when looking to make strategic acquisitions. This is especially so in the food & drink industry where conscientious consumers are driving demand for plant-based alternatives. Research commissioned by meatalternative manufacturer Quorn suggests that 41% of UK families now follow a flexitarian or meat-free diet, driving demand for plant-based products as they cut down on meat consumption over environmental concerns. McDonald’s recent McPlant burger launch is the latest example of many big brands re-positioning their ranges to appeal to this ever-growing market. Vast sums are invested in new product development (NPD) each year as manufacturers look to develop and broaden their product ranges. Inevitably consumer trends drive profits which in turn attract interest from investors seeking long-term value propositions and corporates making strategic acquisitions to gain intellectual property and protect market share. SECTOR DEALS 2021 saw the IPO of Swedish oatmilk producer Oatly at a $10 billion valuation. Recent sector deals include Unilever’s acquisition of The Vegetarian Butcher, a Dutch supplier of vegan patties and nuggets to Burger King. In the US, the continued trend for plant-products was reflected in KPS Capital Partner’s acquisition of Tate & Lyle’s North & Latin American business – the stated growth opportunities coming from the long-term trend towards a plant-based diet by consumers worldwide.
SPRING 2022
FOOD & DRINK
Samworth Brothers (manufacturer of Ginsters Pasties) acquired a stake in Higgidy in 2019 and recently announced plans to invest a further £10 million, as growth in vegan product sales has seen the company’s revenues surge past £50 million. Staying on the pasty theme, Bishop Fleming recently advised on Prima Bakeries’ acquisition of Cornish Premier Pasties, creating a major manufacturer in Cornwall with a strong plant-based product offering in its range. ESG ISSUES CAN DE-RAIL DEALS Unilever, one of the UK’s largest food businesses, plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2039 and is currently taking significant steps to achieve this. However, plans to sell its tea brands, PG Tips and Lipton, last year were disrupted after two bidding private equity firms raised concerns over working conditions at plantations in the supply chain and declined to bid. Understanding your supply chain is therefore critical to achieving a successful fundraise or exit. Oatly has recently had adverts banned by the UK watchdog over misleading claims around the green credentials of its milk alternative products and Scottish craft brewery and pub chain Brewdog, which claims to be the world’s first carbon negative brewery, has recently been accused by current and former staff of a “toxic” work culture.
Increasingly, positioning the brand values and ESG credentials are becoming key to unlocking value. Product sustainability and full knowledge of the supply chain are areas that buyers are focusing greater attention on. Understanding the environmental impact of the production process is a question frequently asked by investment committees.
Conscientious Businesses such as Higgidy have consumers are invested in becoming driving demand a B-Corp [meeting high ESG standards and for plant-based accountability]. Such initiatives can help to show alternatives to acquirers that the culture of the organisation they are buying is fully aligned to their own and are therefore important factors to consider when preparing for sale. In summary, food & drink producers thinking about fundraising, or a future exit should look to demonstrate their value proposition when speaking to potential investors. ESG credentials are playing an increasingly important role in defining the value proposition and maximising value.
Issues such as these can impact investor confidence and ultimately go to value. VALUE DRIVERS TO CONSIDER For businesses thinking about raising investment or a sale process, the focus areas are typically on demonstrating differentiated products in growth markets, stable revenues, high margins, low customer/supplier concentration and building a strong management team.
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TALKING TOURISM
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DIGITAL MARKETING
So, what is Search Engine Optimisation? Many businesses think that SEO is simply adding keywords to a page. However, it actually covers six core areas, all of which need equal attention. • On-site SEO - this covers the SEO elements on your website itself. Items like page titles, meta descriptions, image file names, ALT tags and the written content of a website.
The power of SEO Marwick Marketing CEO Christian Thomson, explains how to build a steady flow of bookings without busting the bank. Tourism in the south west certainly has its ups and downs but generating a steady flow of bookings doesn’t need to be a rollercoaster. While many tourism businesses have taken to social media in recent years to boost their bottom line - one digital marketing channel still reigns supreme - Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Learn more about Marwick at www. MarwickMarketing.co.uk or call on 0117 463 6979 to book a complimentary discovery call.
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• Off-site SEO - this covers the elements away from your website, most notably, your backlink portfolio. For example, which websites link to you, and how they link to your website. Not all backlinks are created equally, so understanding the difference between the good, the bad and the ugly can pay dividends. • Website load time - there’s no point having an optimised website if it takes longer than a couple of seconds to load on a mobile phone. This will frustrate the end user and search engines will demote your website simply on this metric. Searching for “Google Page Insights” will provide you with a free online testing tool. • Security - just like load time, search engines want to send people to a secure website. Not having a https certificate will directly hinder your ability to rank the website higher.
Each month over 12,000 people turn to Google to search “holidays in Cornwall” compared to 5,400 people searching for “holidays in Devon”. This is nothing compared to the hundreds of variations of search terms people use to research and find their next getaway.
• Citations - when someone searches for “hotel in Falmouth” Google and other search engines reference the entire internet not just your website to locate geographical locations. A citation is a reference to your business online (except your website) that shows details of your business. The more citations you have the better understanding Google will have of where your business is located in the real world.
SEO is simply turning your website into a trusted resource full of unique, upto-date information that is easy to find, fast to load and secure to the end user. In return, search engines like Google will reward you with higher placements and thus more relevant website traffic all year round.
To find out if your website is optimised, there are free tools you can use like www.GrowWithGoogle.co.uk. Just input your website (and a competitor’s website) along with a keyword. Within 30 seconds it will produce a free report showing you ways to improve your website!
SPRING 2022
Wild Card is a PR and Social Media agency based in Truro (as well as Bristol and London), boasting clients including The Nare, Watergate Bay, Tresco Island, Cornishware, Ward Williams and Hub Box. We’re incredibly proud to be a B Corp business and being a B Corp has put us in good stead to coach other local businesses through their B Corp comms journey, as well as to advise them on the reputational & operational opportunities of achieving this important accreditation. So why does B Corp matter? And what do you need to know if you’re thinking of taking the B Corp plunge? On behalf of our local hotel and travel clients, we recently polled 1,000 UK adults about the impact B Corp accreditation has on their purchasing decisions. We found that when it comes to buying domestic breaks, amongst those who are aware of B-Corp (just over half of people interviewed), the majority (84%) say this is an important factor when deciding whether to purchase from a company. This kind of research finding is incredibly reassuring that we are going on the right journey with our clients.
Behind the B
Wild Card MD, Georgie Upton, explains why becoming a B Corp is good for business. We also discovered that one in three people would discuss the company’s commitment to good environmental and sustainable practice with friends and family, and a similar number would discuss how the company treats its neighbours and invests in the local community. This stuff matters to consumers, not just for travel businesses but across the board. And, at the same time, it can have a tangible impact on the bottom line of your business. Using Wild Card as an example, since becoming a B Corp organisation in 2020, every business decision we make is centred around the three Ps of People, Planet and Profit. This singleminded focus, and thorough marketing around it, has future-proofed our business – helping us attract and retain talent, bring in new likeminded clients and drive our profitability upwards. It’s given us an incredible framework for doing better business.
If you’re thinking of becoming a B Corp, we’d be very happy to talk to you around how best to work through the communications of it. Get in touch with one of our experienced team at hello@wildcard.co.uk
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AWARDS
Best in the south west Tourism celebrates in style after two long years Leading tourism businesses from across the south west celebrated at Exeter Chiefs’ Sandy Park as more than 90 awards were presented at the 2021/22 South West Tourism Excellence Awards.
Congratulations to everyone who has continued to excel and innovate despite the countless hurdles
The event was the first time since February 2020 that the region’s tourism awards have been able to return to their face-to-face format, with a celebratory dinner enjoyed by over 300 winners, supporters and tourism leaders. The awards saw 476 entries from the region including Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The awards, which themselves won a
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national accolade in 2021, achieving the ‘Outstanding’ accolade in the Awards Trust Mark scheme, are the culmination of 11 months of evidence gathering, online entry, judging and county awards. In what has been another difficult year for tourism they are recognised for their rigour and independence of judging. Over 70 judges spent months poring over entry submissions, websites, social media and review sites, as well as carrying out business visits, many of them mystery visits. Reports and recommendations were then submitted to an independent panel who made the final decisions. All forms of hospitality business were amongst the winners, with cafes, pubs, cookery schools and sailing schools all celebrating alongside attractions, camping and glamping sites, holiday parks, B&Bs, cottages and hotels. Many have also been nominated to represent the south west in the national VisitEngland awards later in the year. Robin Barker, director of awards organiser, Services for Tourism Ltd, said: “What a night! Tourism is known as ‘the happiness industry’ and the night showed everyone why, with friends, colleagues and competitors all reunited to join in the celebrations after two years of being kept apart. Congratulations to everyone who has continued to excel and innovate despite the countless hurdles.”
SPRING 2022
AWARDS
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TALKING TOURISM
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AWARDS
2021/22 SOUTH WEST TOURISM AWARDS WINNERS & COMMENDED (in alphabetic order) ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by Soundview Gold Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, @mylorsailing Silver WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Glos, @WWTSlimbridge Bronze Leafy Fields Glamping, Devon, @LeafyFields Stonehenge, Wilts, @EH_Stonehenge Commended Sara’s Cottage, Cornwall, @SarasCottage Seaton Tramway, Devon, @SeatonTramway B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR sponsored by The Samphire Club Gold The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon, @The25Torquay Silver Chelsea House, Cornwall Bronze Brightham House Boutique B&B, Devon, @BrighthamHouse St John’s Guest House, @Fishersdream BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Clockwork Marketing Gold Treseren, Cornwall, @TreserenC Silver Highcliffe Castle, Dorset, @HighcliffeC Bronze Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wilts, @LucknamPark Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset, @MarshamCourt CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Granny Gothards Gold Picnic Park Deli, Dorset @picnicparkdeli Silver The Purplespoon Café, Somerset, @purplespoonage Bronze The Nectary Restaurant, Devon, @quincehoneyfarm CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Anytime Booking Gold Monkton Wyld Holiday Park, Dorset, @Monkton_Wyld Silver Trevalgan Touring Park, Cornwall, @trevalgan Bronze South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorset, @campsitedorset Commended Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Devon, @HarfordBridge Petruth Paddocks Campsite, Somerset, @Petruthcamping CASUAL DINING AWARD sponsored by NFU Mutual Gold Bango Kitchen, Cornwall, @TheShellfishPig Silver The Rockpool, Cornwall Bronze The Coconut Tree, Bristol @CoconutTreeUK The Scallop Shell, Bath, @thescallopshell DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by VisitWest Gold Gwelmor, Cornwall, @gwelmor Silver Homewood, Bath, @homewoodbath Bronze Kilminorth Cottages, Cornwall, @kilminorth Commended eat:Festivals, @EatFestivals ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by South West Water Gold West Bay Discovery Centre, Dorset, @WestBayDC Silver Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Devon, @RAMMuseum Bronze Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Dorset Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Wilts, @Whatley_Manor Commended Holi Moli Beach Hut, Somerset, @DunsterBeachHut Little Gwendreath Holiday Cottages, Cornwall EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING), sponsored by Beyonk Gold Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, @mylorsailing Silver All Hallows Farmhouse Cookery School, Dorset Bronze Bath Insider Tours, Tour of Bath, Bath, @bathinsidertour Jurassic Coast Guides, Dorset, @jurassicguides Commended Crag 2 Mountain, Devon Mad Max Tours, Bath, @madmaxtours Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Dorset, @ShoreCampers GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Anytime Booking Gold Longlands Devon, Devon Silver Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G Bronze Pengelly Retreat, Cornwall, @ruthie_pengelly Commended Ekopod, Cornwall The Hudnalls Hideout, Glos HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Stephens Scown solicitors Gold Highlands End Holiday Park, Dorset, @WDLH Silver Golden Cap Holiday Park, Dorset, @WDLH Warren Farm Holiday Centre, Somerset, @warren_farm Bronze Cofton Holidays, Devon, @Cofton_Holidays Commended Hoburne Devon Bay, Devon, @hoburneholidays Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, Dorset, @watersidedorset LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hotel Perfect Gold The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, Bath, @royalcrescent Silver Carlyon Bay Hotel, Cornwall, @CarlyonBayHotel Bronze Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort, Wilts, @BowoodUK Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset, @MarshamCourt LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Love to Visit Gold The Minack Theatre, Cornwall, @minacktheatre Silver Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Dorset, @moorsvalley Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Somerset, @Noahs_Ark_Zoo Bronze Dorset Museum, Dorset, @DorsetMuseum
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NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD sponsored by PayDough.Me Gold Three Mile Beach, Cornwall, @ThreeMileBeach Silver Carey’s Secret Garden, Dorset @CareysSecret Bronze Bear Town, Devon Higher Pendeen Camping, Cornwall Commended Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SOUTH WEST TOURISM sponsored by The South West Tourism Alliance Winner Kurt Janson, The Tourism Alliance, @tourismvoice PUB OF THE YEAR sponsored by Sea Arch Gold The Cotley Inn, Somerset Silver The Acorn Inn, Dorset, @Acorn_Inn Bronze The Dartmoor Inn at Lydford, Devon The Swan, Wedmore, Somerset, @TheSwanWedmore RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by Quality in Tourism Gold Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park and Martha’s Orchard, Cornwall, @MotherIveysBay & @MarthasOrchard Silver Exmoor Character Cottages, Somerset, @CottagesExmoor Bronze Breaking Bread, Bristol, @BreadBristol Commended Ocean Adventurers, Somerset RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Plymouth Gin Gold The Idle Rocks Restaurant, Cornwall, @TheIdleRocks Silver The Olive Tree Restaurant, Bath, @OliveTreeBath Bronze Hotel Meudon, Cornwall, @MeudonHotel The Angel – Taste of Devon, Devon, @theangeldevon SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Touch Stay Gold The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Devon Silver Pitt Farm Holiday Cottages, Devon Bronze Eco Chic Cottages, Culls Cottage, Glos, @EcoChicCottages Glynn Barton, Cornwall, @glynnbarton Commended Bidwell Farm Cottages, Devon, @bidwellfarm Middlewick Holiday Cottages, Somerset, @TheMiddlewick SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by pkf Francis Clark Gold The Idle Rocks, Cornwall, @TheIdleRocks Silver No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath Bronze Cary Arms & Spa, Devon, @CaryArms Dunkery Beacon Country House Hotel, Somerset, @DunkeryBeaconCH SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Pear Marketing Gold Nothe Fort, Dorset, @NotheFort Silver PK Porthcurno, Cornwall, @PKPorthcurno Bronze Corinium Museum, Glos, @CoriniumMuseum No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath, @No1Museum Commended Bear Town, Devon Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, Devon, @TivertonMuseum SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by The Eco Laundry Gold St Michaels Resort, Cornwall, @stmichaelsresort Silver Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, Wilts, @LucknamPark Bronze Lincombe Hall Hotel, Devon, @lincombe_hall No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath Commended Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon, @Harbour_Hotels TOURISM EVENT / FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Sunflower Social Media Gold Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Bristol, @bristolballoon Silver Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, Devon, @visitplymouth Bronze FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition: Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorset, @SculptureLakes UNSUNG HERO AWARD sponsored by Plymouth Britain’s Ocean City Ali Marshall, Torre Abbey, Devon, @TorreAbbey Christine Hughes, Moors Valley Country Park & Forest, Dorset, @moorsvalley Emma Fashokun, Cornish Gems, Cornwall, @Cornish_Gems Jake Tyler, Tropiquaria, Somerset @Tropiquaria_Zoo VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR in partnership with South West Coast Path Association Gold Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre - Princetown, Devon, @VisitDartmoor Silver South Somerset Visitor Information Centre and Gift Shop, Somerset, @VisitSSomerset Bronze Exmoor National Park Centre - Dunster, Somerset, @ExmoorNPCs Plymouth Tourist Information Centre, Devon, @visitplymouth WATER CONSERVATION AWARD sponsored by South West Water Treloy Touring Park, Cornwall For Event photos see https://nickwilliams.zenfolio.com/p545970201
SPRING 2022
MARKETING
With GuestNet, Clockwork Marketing says owners of hotels, self-catering, B&B businesses, restaurants, or pubs can learn impactful marketing tactics and gain confidence to do the right marketing, at the right time. The GuestNet suite offers different marketing support including: • Online Learning - with a series of time-saving videos presented by Clockwork’s marketing experts to improve marketing skills and deliver new bookings quickly. • DIY Marketing Tools – to put GuestNet’s online learning into practice. Build your own professional hospitality website or send impactful emails with easy-to-use marketing tools. MD Clare Bushby said: “We are delighted to have successfully launched GuestNet, and are now available to more small hospitality businesses that wish to take control of their future and thrive. “GuestNet is perfect for time-poor owners of hotels, self-catering and B&B businesses, as well as those working in holiday parks, restaurants or pubs, who want to learn or improve their skills and capture more guests. “With GuestNet you can build on your existing knowledge to become a marketing expert and boost bookings quickly.” Sally Downie, owner at the Cricketer’s Inn who participated in pilot research, said: “GuestNet is a great time-saving model for hospitality businesses as there are different stages of marketing support on offer. You can either do it yourself, have a mentor or have Clockwork who we completely trust do it all. For us it feels like the magic marketing wand for keeping on top of social media, our website and abreast of current trends to maximise our marketing efforts.” Another research participant, Richard Edlmann, owner of the Ring of Bells Inn in Newton Abbot, said: “With technology combined with the right marketing tactics I have the ability at my fingertips to connect with my customer base and target new customers with new ideas. With GuestNet and the support it provides I can start planning and taking innovative concepts to market with confidence.”
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Time to take control Clockwork Marketing has successfully launched a new time-saving DIY marketing suite to help small hospitality businesses boost bookings. Several small hospitality businesses are now signed up as GuestNet customers across the UK. GuestNet’s Online Learning platform has a library of 5-10 minute videos covering a wide range of marketing topics to help deliver great marketing. The videos cover essential hospitality marketing including how to drive more website visitors, understand what Google Analytics can do for your business or how to create impactful emails, with many more topics added regularly. GuestNet also offers a supportive online hospitality community for fortnightly group calls, led by Clockwork marketing specialists, exploring hot topics and trends including: creating engaging content, identifying customers, or understanding the role of PR, for example. Hospitality businesses can use GuestNet as a DIY service with online learning videos, be part of a community chat hub and receive practical tips, trends and insights straight to your inbox as one payment option from £199 per month. The second option offers a guided support service including everything in the DIY service plus fortnightly community calls to dive deeper into specific topics, ready-made marketing templates and exclusive discounts on GuestNet marketing tools.
www.guestnet.co.uk
TALKING TOURISM
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INFLUENCER MARKETING
Using your influence Amy Ralston, a solicitor in the specialist Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Protection team at Stephens Scown LLP, advises leisure and tourism businesses to make sure they are compliant with consumer protection law when using influencers… Hotels, leisure centres and selfaccommodation businesses (to name a few) are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of influencer marketing and an influencer’s ability to market directly to the business’ target market.
The business has a responsibility to ensure that all posts promoting them are compliant with consumer protection law
However, gifting an influencer a free stay, offering discounts or other incentives is not without its risks and there are rules that businesses and influencers need to follow. It is important that businesses fully understand the rules and regulations of influencer marketing – one of which is the need to comply with consumer protection law, which can and has been enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). WHAT IS THE LAW? The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPR) aim to prevent unfair practices being used by traders and businesses (including influencers/content creators) when dealing with consumers. They include a general duty for businesses to act in a fair and honest way, which extends to the way leisure and tourism is marketed – including ad content on
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social media and, therefore, to any advertisement by influencers or socialmedia content creators. A breach of the relevant laws may result in you and/or your business being investigated by the CMA – the CMA has statutory powers to investigate such breaches. This could lead to a case being brought against your business in the civil courts but may also lead to criminal sanctions; it is important that businesses understand these regulations and implement risk-mitigating strategies for online brand promotions (for example through influencer partnerships, or simply providing an influencer a gifted or discounted stay). It is also important to note that the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) also enforce advertising rules in the influencer market industry, however this article solely focusses on the powers of the CMA. For more information on the ASA powers please check out our article ‘Brands and Influencers - the risks of not complying with ASA rules on Instagram’, which you can find on our website. OMITTING OR HIDING MATERIAL INFORMATION The relevant regulations prohibit any commercial practice which omits or hides material information, or which conveys such information in a way which is unclear or confusing to consumers; it is prohibited to use editorial content (such as grid posts, reels, stories, videos etc.) on social media to promote a service where a business has paid in some way (“payment” includes gifted stays or other incentives) for the promotion without making clear in the content that it is advertorial content. WHAT ARE THE CMA’S POWERS? Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the CMA has the power to investigate if they suspect a breach of the CPR. In the event that a business or individual does not cooperate with the investigation, the CMA can apply to the court for powers to compel compliance with its request for information and disclosure.
SPRING 2022
INFLUENCER MARKETING
If a person (including a company) is compelled to comply with a CMA investigation they are prohibited from disclosing the investigation and/or their involvement; any such disclosures could, at worst, result in imprisonment.
Amy Ralston is a solicitor in Stephens Scown’s Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Protection team, specialising in influencer marketing, brand endorsement and the regulation of the same.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
To discuss any issues raised in this article, please call 01392 210700 or email influencers@stephens-scown.co.uk
In the eyes of the CMA, businesses, social media platforms, social media influencer agencies and influencers are equally responsible for ensuring compliance with the CPR. The business has a responsibility to ensure that all posts promoting them are compliant with consumer protection law. There are also other steps that a brand can take to mitigate its risk and demonstrate due diligence. THE “DUE DILIGENCE” DEFENCE The “due diligence defence” is available in some circumstances where the offending party has taken steps to mitigate the risk of breaking the law, despite there being a law break. Leisure and tourism businesses should be mindful of their responsibilities when engaging and/or reaching out to influencers (for example, commissioning posts, gifting stays and/ or requesting promotional content). There are proactive steps and processes a business can put in place to reduce and mitigate the risk of breaching consumer protection law.
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TALKING TOURISM
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JUST AN OPINION...
Seven Top Hotel Marketing Trends for 2022 By Clare Bushby, Managing Director, Clockwork Marketing. 1. OUT OF OFFICE: THE WORKATION 21% of employees never want to visit the office again. A hybrid of remote and office-based working is a significant trend. It is time to profile what your hotel has that makes workations attractive. High-speed internet, comfortable working setups, peaceful rooms, restful surroundings, tempting leisure facilities, and things guests can treat themselves to at both ends of the day are all a must. 2. SUSTAINABLE TOURISM Booking.com’s 2021 report found 83% of travellers think sustainable travel is vital and 61% want to travel more sustainably in the future. Marketing messages around staying local, reducing carbon miles, your hotel’s eco-friendly ethos, and sustainable practices, are not just the right things to do. They’re also the smart things to do to appeal to new customers. 3. TECHNOLOGY-LED EXPERIENCE 80% of consumers have used contactless payments. The tech revolution is continuing and accelerating. Many guests expect more contactless options with their mobile phones: booking, check-in/out, room keys, communication with staff, table ordering, buying gift vouchers, and payments. The full Top Hotel Marketing Trends report can be downloaded at: www.clock-work.co.uk/ insights
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Hotels can work smarter by using automation and integrations to deliver a better branded, more seamless guest experience. AI (Artificial Intelligence) to target consumers with personalised offerings and Intelligent Assistants (Siri, Cortana, Alexa, Google Now) are becoming ubiquitous.
4. PROFILING STAYCATIONS 3.8% growth expected for British tourism to 2025. Staycations are, well, here to stay. And while they were for some, initially a necessity, forgoing foreign travel has helped people see the benefits of not having to fly halfway around the world to relax. In fact, people are more open to the idea of holidaying even closer to home - a super-local staycation. 5. SELLING EXPERIENCES 72% of Millennials want to spend on travel experiences (Condor Ferries’ 2020-2021 Statistics & Trends Report). As wise hotels turned to alternative Black Friday messages that swerved simple consumerism, successful hospitality firms in 2022 will also tap into the trend of people wanting to buy experiences, not things. Profiling the experiences guests have, rather than the product your hotel provides, pays dividends. Great copywriting is key as sometimes the nuances in phrasing and messaging are tricky to pin down and even harder to get right. 6. EVERYDAY WELLNESS 177% more spent by wellness tourists than non-wellness tourists. Living well is the new existence. From seaweed facials to serotonin light therapy, forest bathing to plant-based diets, these are some of the 2022 wellness trends. Wellness is an ever-increasing part of our lifestyles, and the fabric of tomorrow’s hospitality. Paying attention now, will help you connect with your guests’ changing philosophies, get ahead of your competition, and ultimately turn a profit from wellness. 7. FOR THE LOVE OF WEDDINGS Only 21% of weddings take place in a church. Societal changes, the pandemic, and lockdowns have changed the weddings people want. From micro to supersize, sustainable to sequel, inside or out, people are choosing bespoke weddings individual to them and their needs. With new venues and more places for weddings than ever, venues need to capitalise on new trends to remain competitive and secure the best bookings for 2022-23.
SPRING 2022
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